Food dispenser



Sept. 21, 1943. F. E. WOLCOTT FOOD DISPENSER Filed Aug. 3, 1939 Patented Sept. 21, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,330,183 I V I 7 FOOD DISPENSER Frank E. Wolcott, West Hartford, Conn.

Application August 3, 1939, Serial No. 288,200

10 Claims.

My invention relates to food dispensers.

It has among its objects to provide an improved closure for such dispensers of the type utilizing a support and a removable dispenser adapted to be supported thereon when not in use. A further object of my invention is to provide an improved outlet closure for such a dispenser whereby it is made possible to prevent seepage from the latter when not in use,while producing a construction which not only very efiectually closes the outlet from the dispenser under varying conditions, but further is adapted to be readily cleansed in such manner as to produce a sanitary construction. A still further object of my invention is to produce such animproved closure including an improved diaphragm which cooperates in an improved manner with the outlet of the dispenserelement andis carried onimprovedmeans adapted to be. convene iently inserted or removed from the support;

while having the advantages above set forth, and further being of an inexpensive construction;

.These and other objects and advantages of my provement, a portion of the dispenser supporting,

member bein-g'broken away to facilitate illustration;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail sectionwon line 2-2 of "Figure 1, the outlet of i the dispenser being shown in a position wherein it isclosed by the diaphragm of the closuremember which is then under tension; a 1' Fig. 3 is a like sectional view of the closure memben the outlet member of the dispenser being omitted and the closure diaphragm being free from tension;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the closure member; r

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the same, and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the closure member.

In this illustrative construction, I have shown a food dispenser of the general type including an open topped dispenser support I and an upper dispenser element 2 disposed thereon when not in use, this element having a bottom applying spout or outlet, generally indicated at 3, and a top valve or diaphragm generally indicated at 4,

adapted to be operated to ,dischargethe contents of the dispenser. 2 through this outletyimproved closure meanshereinbeing provided, generally indicated at 5, and disposed ina chamber-6 in the support I, which are adapted'to close this outlet}, as hereinafter more fully described.

In my improved construction, the closure member 5 is seated on a flatbottom 1 of the chamber 6 and is provided with an annular supporting flange 8 of less than the internal diameter of that chamber. In a preferred construction, this flange and a vertical wall portion aherein' cylindrical-and of smaller diameter,. are formed of rubber ofrsuch thickness as to providea'substantial yet resilient support for an improved inner closure diaphragm generally indicatedat l0. Herein, this diaphragm is also resilient and formed of rubber, and quite thin, thoughsomewhat thicker than the material usedjin the average rubber glove. Asshown, it "is inthe shape-of a cup and suspended in dependingrelation .with in the wall portion 9 andfrom the upper .end thereof. In a preferred construction, thelldiaphragm H) is of uniform, thickness an'dinteg-ra'l with the upper inner periphery of the wall 9, and round and smooth on its interior and exterior in such manner as closely to resemble onehalf .of a hollow rubber ball, while its bottom is substantially spaced above thebottom I, of the support I. Attention is furtherfdireoted-tov the fact that this diaphragm In is :sosuppo'rted by the wall portion 9 that when the dispenserlis not in use and .is placed uponthe support I, the outlet sp0ut3 of thisdispenser willdepress and stretch the thin diaphragm Ii) in such manner as to cause the-latter tov conform to theundersurface of the spout 3 under tension and thereby effectually close a usual axial outlet fport 3a therein. Thus, in the. construction illustrated, wherein the outlettisprovided with an annular horizontal portion 3h surrounding this port 3a and tapered outer side walls 3oleadin'g' upward from this surface 317, it will be apparent that when the diaphragm I0 is depressed and tensioned by the insertion of the member 3, for example in the position shown in Figure 2, an axial portion of the diaphragm will extend across the port 3a and through engagement with the portion 3b surrounding that port effectually close the latter, while the whole exterior of the portions 3b and 30 on the spout 3 will be snugly gripped by the then tensioned diaphragm.

As a result of my improved construction, it is made possible to eliminate the necessity for-any upwardly extending centering means on the closure means which are receivable in the port 311 to close the latter. It is also possible to eliminate the resultant necessity for accurate centering of the dispenser in such manner as to bring the port in the spout thereof into registry with such raised centering and closing means. Further, all necessity is also eliminated for disposing the closure in either accurate axial or in fixed relation to the support I, as, for example, by affixing thesame thereto or forming the same integral with the support. Instead, with a maxi mum diameter of the closure flange 8 somewhat smaller than the chamber 6, it is possible merely to drop the closure unit 5 in the chamber 5.. Pure. ther, irrespective of the eccentric or concentric arrangement of the member I and spout, it is possible to depend upon the action of the spout 3 in depressing the diaphragm H) to effect closing in any position wherein the spout engages the diaphragm. The latter being of such light, thin construction; and free from obstructions on its round innerface, it ispossible for it to conform toand effectually closethe spout 3in' any of various lateral or even angular'relations of unit 5 and spout 31 Further, it will benoted that due to the provision of this diaphragm and the mounting of the same on the rubber walls 9, the latter also are adapted to yield in suchmanner as to relieve strain upon the diaphragm and assist in returning the. same to its'normal up position while also increasingthe eflective life'of the closure. Moreover, it will'be observed that should there be an accumulation of' seepage in the" diaphragm, the

Iattermay'be readily removed from the chamber Bfor emptying and cleaning, as by merely inverting the'support' l. Attention is also directed'to the fact'that the structure-of the closure issuch as topermit all portions-of the-same to be readily cleaned; there being no externalcrevices or edges disposed as to accumulate material, such, for example; as'thoseexisting around the base of an upwardly projecting centering portion" adapted to be received in the outlet port. These and otheradvantagesof my improvements will, however, beclearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

While I" have in this application specifically described. one embodiment whichmyinvention may assume in practice, it will be understood that the same is chosen for purposes of illustration and that the invention may be modifiedand embodied invarious other forms without departing from its spirit orthescope of the appended claims;

What I claim as'new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is: 1

1'. In a; resilient dispenser closure; an upstanding basev having resilient" cupshaped means peripherally supported therein for conforming to and closing'a' concentrically or eccentrically disposed'dispenser spout therein;

2; In a dispenser closure, anupstanding base having a cup-shaped resilient diaphragm in said hollow base and supported by its upper periphery on said base.

3. In a dispenser closure, an upstanding base having a centrally disposed cup-shaped diaphragm of thin resilient material and of substantially uniform thickness supported at its upper periphery on said base.

4. In a dispenser closure, an upstanding base having a resilient cup-shaped diaphragm in the center of said base and supported at its upper periphery on said base, said diaphragm having a smooth round inner surface.

5. In a dispenser, a hollow dispenser support, a dispenser therein having a depending spout, and

.a resilient closure having a cup-shaped portion adapted to be conformed to and to close said spout, and a portion supporting the said cupshaped portion by the top thereof; the said closure being removably seated in said support.

6. In a dispenser, a hollow dispenser support, a dispenser therein having a depending spout, and aresilient closure in the shape of asectionof a hollow ballsupported by the top thereof and, spaced above the bottom of said support and having its inner surface adapted to conform to and to close said spout.

7. In a dispenser, a hollow dispenser" support, a dispenser therein having a depending spout, and a resilient closure in the shape of a section of a hollow bali' spaced above the'bottom of said support and having its inner surface conformable toand closing said spout; and means removably supported in said support for resiliently supporting saidsection atthe upper'periph'erythereof.

8. In a' dispenser closure, an upstanding base having resilient wal1s;and a; resilient'cup-shaped portion supported at its upper periphery on said base, saidportion comprising a thin rubber diaphragm supported on said walls at the upper periphery thereof and'stretchable to conform-to the' shape of a member resting therein. 9. In a dispenser-closure, an upstanding base having an open centensurrounded by'an annular wall and a resilient diaphragm in said base and supported at its upper peripheryiby the said wall; said diaphragm comprisingv a thin rubber cup shaped-portion in the top of and dependingrwith in said base, and a flange on the base of said Wall.

10;. In adispenser: closure, an upstanding base comprising a' resilientannularwall having a thin rubber diaphragm 'dependingwithin said base and supported at the upper periphery thereof by said wall; said diaphragm being stretchable to coniormto theshape of a member resting therein and the said wall'being adapted to yield :to the pressure from said diaphragm before the diaphragm has reached its elastic limit.

FRANK E.' WOLCOTT. 

